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No, you're not almost there yet -- in fact, you haven't left your ZIP code. When a trip to the grocery store leaves your kids whining from boredom, the prospect of a family road trip is enough to inspire nightmares, and unless you have a bus fitted with private bunks and a fridge stocked with snacks, you might imagine your kids will spend the whole trip cranky and bickering. Don't assume the worst, though. With plenty of advance prep and an arsenal of distractions ready to keep little ones happy, this is going to be your best trip yet.

Items you will need

Sun shades

Blankets

Handheld fans

Pillows

Bag of snacks

Cooler

Water jug

Toys, books and games

Step 1

Outfit the car with gear that should keep the kids physically comfortable. Attach sun shades to un-tinted side windows to keep the back of the vehicle cool. Place a blanket at each child's spot in the car in case he feels the air conditioning is too cold; you might also pick up battery-operated personal fans for kids to use when they feel warm. Stow a small pillow for each child to ensure comfortable napping; neck pillows are ideal for kids stuck in middle seats.

Step 2

Create a seat schedule if your children always fight about who sits where and when. (This only works if all your kids are out of car seats.) Divide up each leg of the trip into parts equaling the number of kids; for instance, with three kids, break a nine-hour trip into three-hour blocks. Assign kids to their seats on a rotating basis, or let each child have his choice of seats for one leg of the trip. Keep the schedule with you in the front seat to avoid confusion about whose turn is when.

Step 3

Dress every child in his most comfortable clothes. Let kids wear pajama bottoms, oversized T-shirts and bedroom slippers if they want. Ask each child to keep one sweatshirt or light jacket with him in the car. He can use it to cover up a sloppy outfit before going into a rest stop or pull it on if he wants more comfort.

Step 4

Load a bag with snacks. Keep it within your reach, or stow it in the trunk and pull out a few new items at every stop. Pick low-sugar foods, since you don't want confined kids on a sugar rush; nutrition expert Joy Bauer suggests string cheese, whole nuts, rice cakes and sliced oranges and apples as tasty low-sugar snacks. Dole out a snack every few hours to keep kids feeling satisfied. Keep a jug of filtered water in a cooler to refill everyone's water bottles periodically.

Step 5

Give each child a paper bag to fill with books, video games, stuffed animals or handheld devices -- including earphones and extra batteries -- to keep at his seat. Ask that he pack the rest of his toys in his suitcase to prevent the car from feeling like it's stuffed with junk. Pick up a few surprises, like new coloring books and handheld travel games, to pull out once you're on the road.

Step 6

Schedule stops every two to three hours. Insist each child get out of the car during each stop, unless he's asleep. Lead everyone in a five-minute walk around the rest stop, or pull the car over to an empty corner of the parking lot and lead kids in a quick round of yoga stretches and jumping jacks. Everyone will feel much less antsy once back in the car.

Tip

Some measure of squabbling is pretty much inevitable when you're road-tripping with older kids. You might keep some of it at bay by creating a set of rules and clear rewards or punishments tied to those rules. Ask kids for input on reasonable rules, like "No touching each other's bodies" or "No name-calling allowed." Make up your own reward system, or try this: award each child a balance of 10 points. Every time a child breaks a rule, he loses a point. The child with the most points at the end of the trip gets a special reward like getting to choose a restaurant at your destination.

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About the Author

Cooking, travel and parenting are three of Kathryn Walsh's passions. She makes chicken nuggets during days nannying, whips up vegetarian feasts at night and road trips on weekends. Her work has appeared to The Syracuse Post-Standard and insider magazine. Walsh received a master's degree in journalism from Syracuse University.